The red flag flew high, the national anthem rang loud and a champion lay sprawled on red clay, rejoicing in her unprecedented accomplishment — it all had a sense of deja vu for Chinese fans, transporting them back to 13 years ago at Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Yet, this time around, on Saturday afternoon, Zheng celebrated an even more special, emotional and "improbable" title than tennis legend Li Na's 2011 French Open win — the first Olympic singles gold medal ever won by a Chinese — or any Asian — player.

This monumental victory will undoubtedly pour even more fuel on the fire powering Zheng's meteoric career rise — it has already, surely, propelled her into the pantheon of Chinese sporting greats — but, more significantly, it will have served up another huge boost to the sport's momentum in China.

It was on the Olympic stage 20 years ago that another unprecedented tennis victory, the doubles gold medal won by Li Ting and Sun Tiantian in Athens, lit the spark, bringing the Western-dominated racket sport into China's mainstream.